If you would, to follow along,
I'm not gonna start right off with the first thing, but please
turn to Psalm 119. That's the really big psalm. The alphabet psalm, whatever
you wanna call it, the great alphabet. But I do wanna say a few words
before I read. Have you ever wondered why God's
people are afflicted. And by that, I mean afflicted
by God. I'm not talking about the common
things, necessarily, that are common to every man. The rain
falls on the just and the unjust alike. Well, there are times
when the rain doesn't fall on the unjust and the just alike. Because come on, be honest. I've
wondered about it, I'll admit it. That old question, why do
bad things happen to good people? Well, the hardest part for me
and for men to understand and really lay hold of is there are
no good people. And the other thing is this,
afflictions are not the most pleasant thing in the world to
think about, and they're not that pleasant to speak about. Because afflictions, tribulations,
chastisements are not pleasant things, but they are a reality
in the child of God's life. You'll see it from the beginning
of this book to the end. Now I do want to say I didn't
enter into this flippantly and I don't want to be flippant about
it. But I do have a title here, Paul, it's called Being Afflicted,
comma, it's good. It's good. What I will try to show by the
scriptures is that afflictions are Necessary. Necessary. Now, by definition, I'm not really
gonna get into specifics as to what these afflictions are, but
I can give it to you in generalities. These afflictions can be physical.
They can be mental. They can be emotional. They can
be material. They can be familial, family. and they can be financial. The answer is all of the above. But these afflictions are here
for a purpose. So if you would, I want to begin
reading in verse 65 of Psalms 119. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according
to thy word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
for I have believed thy commandments. Now that is just a great statement
by the psalmist here, which is believed to be David by most
people. But it doesn't matter, it's still a great statement
no matter who wrote it. because the Lord has dealt well with
his people. Whether we recognize it or not,
whether we know it or not, the Lord has dealt well with his
people. If you recognize that the Lord
has dealt well with his people, is dealing well with his people
and ever shall deal well with his people, you have been taught
of God. Because the world doesn't see
it that way. You understand the religious world, the religious world thinks the
devil's after them. Whenever anything goes wrong.
Now by this sermon, if I get a really good chance to poke
holes in the health and wealth gospel, I'm gonna do it because
it's a lie. You understand, God's people
are afflicted by God, not by the devil. He may use the devil.
We'll get into Job in a little bit after a while. But you understand,
the source Job knew it, he said, the Lord hath given, the Lord
hath taken away. And he didn't stop there, he
said, blessed. Blessed is the name of the Lord. And here's the other thing. The
religious societies around us, they don't think they need to
be taught good judgment. And knowledge. Because they think
they've got the answers. They've got the answers. This
is the cry of the true servant who believes, teach me. Why? Because I need to be taught. The older I go, and you used
to aggravate me sometimes about Earl would say this, and I hate
it when he was right sometimes. The older I get, I find out the
less I know. And the more there is out there
that I don't know. And I'm sorry if you think that
your time of studying is over, your time of learning is over,
because it never is. And from what I see ahead of
me, it never will be. Now that's not an affliction,
that's just a fact. But this is the cry of a servant
who believes. Teach me, not only that, teach
me good judgment. You know, we're pretty good at
judgment. You know, we like to judge people. We like to maybe
judge ourselves. But no, what I need is good judgment.
That's what I don't have. That's what I don't know. I can
judge all kind of people for all the wrong reasons and do
it at the drop of a hat and maybe even be right. After you get so old, sometimes
you turn out to be a fairly good judge of character. Because here's
the thing, if you judge the worst of man, most of the time you're
gonna be right. If you think all politicians
are criminals, most of the time you're gonna be right. If you
think all businessmen will stick a knife in you to make some money,
most of the time you'll be right. It's not hard to think bad about
people. But here, we wanna make good
judgments, and the only way to know how to make a good judgment
is to be taught it in his word, and to be taught it by God. Teach me, because I want to learn. Teach me, because I need to learn. Because I don't know. See, this is the thing. I don't
know if you've noticed that the religious world around us, and
the bunch of us on TV and the radio and all that stuff, they
don't seem to have any doubts about anything. Now I have no
doubts about Jesus Christ. I have no doubts about God, his
Holy Spirit, none. I have plenty of doubts about
me, and don't take it personally, but I have doubts about you,
because I assume and I believe this is correct assumption, Mason,
you're just like me. You're fallen, you're sinful,
and sometimes you're lacking in good judgment. And I'm not
just blaming you because I'm in the same boat with you. Teach me. That's the words of
his servant. Teach me. Because I need to learn. I don't need to be worried so
much about what you know, I gotta worry about what I know. And
what I want to know. The world can't teach me, except
the negative part. But God can. And God will. If you ask. If you ask, he will. But this next statement goes
hand in hand with these first two verses. Thou hast dealt well
with thy servant according to thy word. Teach me good judgment,
for I have believed thy commandments. Now look at that next verse,
67. Before I was afflicted, I went
astray. But now have I kept thy word. Now isn't that just a strange
statement after thou'st dealt well with thy people. And he's
gonna continue to deal well with his people. Before I was afflicted, I went
astray. I believe thy commandments. But
before I was afflicted, I went astray. You understand what he's
saying here? Believers do go astray. You know? It's no great pronouncement
to put in here, unbelievers go astray. Because I'm gonna say
this, it might sound harsh, I don't mean it harshly, but I do mean
it as a fact, okay? Unbelievers go astray every day,
every hour, every minute of every day. But that doesn't matter to God.
That's what unbelievers do. That's the definition of an unbeliever.
Thus saith the Lord. I don't believe that. Thus saith
God. Thus said Jesus Christ. Thus
saith his word. I don't believe that. I said
it last week. Without Christ, God is unbelievable. These are the words of the believer. The Lord is good. and does good. That's the next verse. Thou art
good and doest good. Then those were teach me, thy
statutes. Before I was afflicted, I went
astray, but now I have kept thy word. Thou art good and doest
good. God is never unaware of any affliction. Whether it's from him or not.
God is never unaware of anything. Our God is in the heavens, he
hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. And I can tell you this,
our God is in the heaven, he knows everything there is to
know. Christ told his disciples, every hair on your head is numbered.
Now for some of us, that might be a little easier than others.
But that's not the point. God cares for his children. He does. And the Lord is good. And does good. Now the world will seem to mostly
agree with that. But here's the last part they
don't like. Teach me thy statutes. Because
they want their own way. I've heard them, I've heard them.
And not only do they want to tell God what to do, they do
tell God what to do. And to be perfectly honest about
it, I'm not impressed. Because I've seen stupid before
right in the face. I've seen it in the mirror too,
but I'm not going into that. That's the whole truth. It is. But here's the thing, they wanna
tell God. The psalmist is asking God and
asking God to teach me thy statutes, to teach me good judgment, to
teach me thy ways. Why? Because if he doesn't teach
them, we're not gonna know them. I'm not gonna know them. And
the world is living proof of that. I know. They'll tell you. My God wouldn't do that. My God
wouldn't afflict someone with physical illness. My God wouldn't
fix, would not, my God would not give someone financial difficulty. I know your God won't. But I'm
not talking about your God. And that's the basic fact. I'm
talking about the God of the Bible. and the God of the Bible
will put you in a hole that you can't get out of. He can get
you out of it and he will in his own good time. I know afflictions,
chastisements, tribulations, they're not pleasant. But here
we see verse 71, it is good for me. It is good for me that I
have been afflicted. that I might learn thy statutes. Being afflicted is good. See,
y'all think I was making up stuff. That's what it says. I'm not
being cute, although it is cute. Because it's true. And it's contrary
to the world's beliefs. And it's contrary to our own
minds, the natural minds. It's enmity against God still.
Thank God that's not all I have. Thank God that's not all I have. Whatever the Lord does is the
very definition of the word good. Whatever you, me, or anybody
else thinks. That doesn't matter. Because
God is good and God does good. What's David say next? I skipped
over this part. The proud have what? Forged a
lie against me. But I will keep thy precepts
with my whole heart. Their heart is as fat as grease. I don't really understand that
expression so much, but it doesn't sound good. but I delight in
thy law. You have got enemies in this
world. If you know God, you've got enemies. And they will hate the God you
love. And they will hate you for loving
the God you love. And they'll hate you even more
if you talk about him. It's an amazing thing. but it's
good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn
thy statutes. And you understand, this is a
believer. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant according to
thy word. I have believed thy commandments. Because that's, in this verse
where it says it's good for me, refers directly back to verse
68. Thou art good. and doeth all good. And it's
good for me. You've dealt well with your people.
You've dealt well with your people. The way this whole psalm is laid
out, it's in eight verse sections, and each letter at the beginning,
it's a Greek letter of the Greek alphabet. Now they tell me that
the first letter of each verse of each section starts with the
first letter that's there. You can't prove it by me. I'll
take the word for it, people who know Greek. But here's the
thing, all these eight verses are related, but it's all related
into the same psalm, the rest of the psalm. So the whole thing
about it being good to be afflicted is tied directly to God is good
and doeth good. It's good for me to be afflicted
by God, by God. So if I am his servant, a believer,
and I am afflicted, it's a good thing done by a good God. That's just the facts. I mean,
I don't know what else to say. Oh, the devil made me do it.
No, you're led away of your own lust and entice. And if you're
afflicted, You might see who did it. Why is it good? That you might
learn his statutes. I'm not just talking about the
Ten Commandments. I'm not just talking about the law. I'm talking
about his ways. The way God works. You understand,
we need reminding we're not good people. I mean, that's the way it is. Not
only do we have a tendency to forget, we also, as human beings,
saved, believing, human beings who believe His commandments,
love Christ and love the brethren. Believe Christ and love the brethren. We know We delude ourselves sometimes. You know that I ain't quite as
bad as I thought it was. And sometimes I need to be knocked
down a peg. Now I'm not gonna tell you about how it's done
because I don't want you to know. I don't wanna talk about it. But here's the thing, I don't
have to talk about it, I just have to recognize it. And you
need to recognize it. You understand? I know what it means and what
it feels like to doubt whether I am one of God's. And it's good
for me to recognize that. And it's good for me to learn
from that, that it doesn't matter how I feel at any particular
time, it's what he has done. You understand? Do I believe him? Whether I think
I'm one of his or not, but do I believe him? Because in him
is where my hope better be. It is. Because if it's not in
him, and it's in part of yourself, you're gonna doubt all the time. And I wanna tell you something,
that's a miserable existence. But learn what? His statutes,
his will, His purpose and His way, because here's the thing,
afflictions teach and believers learn. We don't learn perfectly,
we don't ever stop learning, but we do learn by His grace,
by His work, by His good work, even though it is an affliction
sometimes. Now look at the first verse of
the next section, which is verse 73, Psalms 119. After he says
all this about afflictions, and it's good that I've been afflicted,
he says this, thy hands have made me and fashioned me. Give me understanding that I
may learn thy commandments. He's already said eight verses
ago, I believe your commandments. What's he saying here? I wanna
learn what I believed. Isn't that something? Isn't that
something? That took me a long time to figure
out. I have to learn who I believed. And guess what? I'm still learning
whom I have believed. But I thought that was just glorious.
That's a wonderful statement of grace. You've made me and
you've fashioned me. Help me to learn. Help me to
learn your commandments. I believe them, help me to learn.
Because this is not just about creation and salvation. This
is not about, in this particular context, about regeneration and
faith and believing God. Although that also is the work
of God's power. That is the work of Jesus Christ.
He's talking about here, he's talking about in your walk, in
your life. Every day What he's made me and
he's fashioned me and guess what a couple of verses before he
used affliction to do it How does the Lord give understanding
how does the Lord give knowledge Verse 74 They that fear thee will be glad
when they see me because I have hoped in thy word. Verse 75,
I know, this is a great verse here. I know, O Lord, that thy
judgments are right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted
me. Now is that not a lesson? I read that verse and it's like,
whoa, I don't ever remember reading that, Walter. I know I have,
but I don't remember reading it. Because here's two things,
just from that one verse. A, it's the Lord that afflicts,
and B, The Lord afflicts in faithfulness. He is being faithful, God is
being faithful when he afflicts you. When he afflicts me. In faithfulness. Now have you
ever heard that preached from an Armenian church? Have you
ever heard that preached on television? Because I'm gonna tell you something,
they're wanting your money so you can get more money. Somehow
I figure out he just pretty much ends up with them getting my
money. You understand? And if you're
unhealthy, it's your own fault because you don't believe enough. God afflicts his people in faithfulness. In faithfulness. Your afflictions
are not without purpose. Never. Not if you're one of God's. And what'd he say at the beginning
of this verse? I know. I know! I know! Thy judgments are right,
or righteous. And thou in faithfulness afflict
me. I'm gonna tell you something.
I looked at this verse and I started studying on it a little bit.
That this verse is the answer to the question of why was Job
afflicted? I mean, it's just one verse.
Just one verse. Because you preached it, Walter.
God didn't let Satan touch Job just for kicks. Just to see what
would happen. God didn't let Satan touch Job
to teach Satan anything. Job was afflicted in faithfulness. Isn't that a glorious thing? Because there's a reason. Some things can only be learned
by being afflicted. You understand? Unless you're
tested, you'll never see how you get by the test. You'll never
see how you do. I was in high school, in elementary
school and junior high, and I took a lot of tests. And sometimes
I thought the teacher was just out to get me. That's not the
case. Well, maybe some of them were.
With good reason, what the heck. That's past, thank goodness,
that's past. But here's the thing. You'll never know what you can
do until you've been tested. And that's God's honest truth.
Because if you're tested, if you're afflicted, if you have
tribulation, if you are chastised, do you turn to God? That's the
thing. Because that's what he's teaching.
He's good, and he does all good. And some things can only be learned
by being afflicted. and God's afflictions give understanding
and knowledge. Jesus Christ is not willing that
you be ignorant. Paul said that himself. I'm not
willing that he should be ignorant. So look at Job 42, verses one
to six, just real quick, in the light of this verse. I know, O Lord, that thy judgments
are right, and thou in faithfulness hath afflicted me. Job 42, verse
one. Then Job answered the Lord and
said, I know, I know, I know. that thou canst do everything
and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth
counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that
I understood not. Things too wonderful for me which
I knew not. Verse four, here I beseech thee
and I will speak, I will demand of thee and declare thou unto
me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine
eye seeth thee. Wherefore, wherefore I abhor
myself. Myself, not my three miserable
comforters, myself. and repent in dust and ashes. That's it. Job had been afflicted
in faithfulness, and guess what? Job learned some things that
he didn't know, even though he was a servant when it started.
You understand? God had a hedge about him. Hath
thou not considered my servant Job any great? And Satan says,
you put a hedge around him. I can't touch him. Well, okay.
Guess what? God was teaching Job. And Job
learned. Now that's a great thing. You
understand? Because God can teach a fallen,
believing man. And God will teach a fallen,
believing man. Oh. Because Job said he didn't know.
He didn't know and he said so. But now I know. I like that,
I do. The Lord's judgments are righteous
and God in faithfulness afflicted Job. You understand? Where was your
God when that bad thing happened? Whatever it is. He is right there. He was right there. And you know
what he was doing? He was teaching me. And you know
what I was doing? I was learning. Men all learned
at the time, it took a while. Because you understand, afflictions
and tribulations and chastisements are not fun. And they will occupy
your attention. And we'll get to it in just a
second here in Hebrews. Afterwards there's a result. Afterwards
afterwards there's always a result and guess what it's a good result.
It's a good result Where was your God when this bad thing
happened Jesus Christ was right there in Faithfulness in Protection
in hope in knowledge in grace and in love of his brethren He's
given teaching and he's giving understanding. And he's helping
us, his family, to grow in the grace and the knowledge of our
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Now, I know I just threw that
in, but everything up until this point has been all Old Testament. You know, when some people say
that, they say, well, that's just Old Testament. You know
what they mean? They mean it don't count. They
don't say that, but that's what it means. The New Testament's
different. The Old Testament don't count. And you wanna say,
have you ever read the New Testament? All it does is talk about the
Old Testament. Come on. Who do you think Job was talking
to? Think about it for a minute. Who do you think Job was talking
to? What did he say in the middle of that? I know who my redeemer
lives, lives. And in the latter days, he's
gonna stand on this earth and I'm gonna see him. Even though
I die and my body gets broken down into its constituent parts,
yet in my flesh, I'm gonna see him with my own eyes. Jesus Christ
is the one that's dealing with Job. This is not anything new. I know my Redeemer lives. What's Paul say? First, Paul in Hebrews, he quotes Proverbs
3 in verse 11 and 12. And then he expounds upon it.
I'll just read it here. My son, this is Proverbs three
and verse 11. My son, despise not the chastening
of the Lord, neither be weary of his correction. For whom the
Lord loveth, he correcteth. Even as a father, the son in
whom he delights. Guess what? That's what God does. He corrects. He corrects. Now Paul refers to this in Hebrews
chapter 12 directly. New Testament, folks,
New Testament, just in case. Verse six of Hebrews chapter
12. For whom the Lord loveth, he
chasteneth and scourgeth. Doesn't that just sound delightfully
pleasant? Scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Whom does he receive? He receives
everyone that Jesus Christ brings to him. If ye endure chastening, God
dealeth with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the father
chasteneth not? A father will correct, and that's
the word chastening, that's what he's talking about. Now there's
some scourging going on, but there is no chastening if there
is no correcting. Because that's what it means,
to chasten someone to do the right thing. It's not just punishment. But if ye be without chastisement,
without correction, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards
and not sons. Then verse 11, now no chastening
for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless, afterward,
afterward, afterward, it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness
unto them which are exercised thereby. God afflicts in faithfulness. God corrects every son that he
has Now don't get offended by the word bastard It's in the
Bible. It's a Bible word folks Worry about this If you're not
chastened Scripture say You're not a son of God You got no call
to think you're a child of God if you've never been corrected
by God. That's the scariest thing in
the world. Don't worry about being called a bastard. People
get offended, oh my, you said a bad word. All it means is you're
not a son. And that's what he says. And
you're not a son. And that ought to concern you. That's the part to be concerned
about. Focus on that. Do you know God and Jesus Christ
whom God has sent? He chastises every son he has. What does the word of God say? Well, it says, tribulation works
patience. Just read it. Afflictions work
understanding and knowledge. And here in Hebrews, chastisement
works righteousness. Anyone who has been afflicted
by God in this manner, chastised by Jesus Christ, will know that
it's good. You don't know it necessarily
when it happens. That's why it says afterwards. it yields a
peaceable fruit of righteousness. Because right there when you're
in the middle of it, you're in the middle of it. But bless God,
if you're one of his, he'll bring you right out the other side.
And you'll have a little more knowledge than you used to have.
You'll have a little more experience than you used to have. I didn't
say it was pleasant. I didn't say it was wonderful,
but I do say it's good. It's good, it's good. Like that
old fellow with the thumb missing or whatever, you know? I like
that story, Walter. It's good. It's good. I don't understand
it all the time, but it's good. It's good. And what I do understand,
he's taught me. You can ask Job. You can ask
Peter, Paul, John. Afflictions can be grievous.
But afterwards, afterwards, It's just good, it's good. Because afterwards, you'll be
able to say, it is good for me to have been afflicted. There's a reason Paul wrote Romans
8 and verse 28. And the reason is this. It is. Fact that all things do work
together for good for good To them that love God to them that
are called according to his purpose Now I didn't say all things work
together for Pleasantness Peacefulness in your life No,
it's for good Because sometimes you need to be upset. Your apple
cart needs to be turned over. Because it wasn't your apple
cart to start with. It's God's. And from a couple of weeks ago,
he that has begun a good work in you will perform it unto the
day of Christ. Afflictions, tribulations, and
chastisements are a part of our life in Jesus Christ. For good. For your good. For my good. And it's just the same and just
as true as grace and mercy in Jesus Christ. Because it all
comes from the hand of God. What's it say? By him, all things
consist. So that's why I say, I do mean
it with all seriousness, being afflicted is good. It's good. Heavenly Father, thank
you for your will and your way and
your purpose in our lives. Thank you for what you've taught
us and you continue to teach. Give us the understanding to
understand your scriptures. In Christ's name we pray, amen.