Our Light Affliction

2nd Corinthians chapter 4. Let's begin reading with verse 7. And you watch carefully as the Apostle Paul describes his experience as a believer, as the servant of God, as a preacher of the gospel. 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verse 7. We have this treasure, the word of God, the gospel of his grace, the message of redemption, salvation through Christ.

We have this treasure in earthen vessels, in these bodies of flesh. This man who's preaching to you right now is an earthen vessel, just broken pieces of pottery, just pieces of clay, that's all. but all the treasure, the treasure of free grace, the treasure of redemption, the treasure of Jesus Christ and all the fullness of God's grace in him. We have this treasure in earthen vessels and the reason God uses these earthen vessels to carry this treasure to you is that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. In other words, if you get this treasure, it's not my fault. If you partake of the riches of this treasure, the treasure of God's free grace, it's not because of the preacher.

Oh no, a thousand, thousand, thousand times no, but because of God's grace revealed in the treasure of Christ Jesus. We're troubled on every side. Who? We who carry this treasure. yet not distressed. We're perplexed, but not in despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken. Cast down, but not destroyed.

Always, always, always, bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus. That the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake. That the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believe, therefore have I spoken. We also believe, and therefore speak. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

For all things are for your sake. There's a bunch of sermons in there. All things, all things, all things, God help you to believe it. All things are for your sake. If you're Christ, if you're one of God's, all things are for your sakes. That the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many These many for whom all things have been, are, and shall be, redound to the glory of God.

For which cause? Now then, Paul's been talking about trouble. He's been talking about affliction. He's been talking about heartache. He's been talking about being perplexed and being persecuted and being cast down and being abused and bearing about in his body the dying of the Lord Jesus. Now he says, For which cause?

Since we recognize that all these things are for our sake, and that through the thanksgiving of many, the abundant grace will be down to the glory of God, for this cause we faint not. This is what keeps us going. This is what keeps our hearts afloat. This is what keeps our souls stirred. This is the thing that causes us to continue and to persevere.

But though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. Though this body of flesh, and though this nature of flesh is perishing and dying as it must, and consequently it suffers continually in this world, yet the inward man, knowing God, is renewed day by day.

Now get this, for our light affliction, our light affliction, That's a strange way to identify what he's been talking about. Our right affliction. How on earth, Paul, can you talk about affliction? as you've been describing as being a lot of fiction. Was it because he was a hard-hearted, callous man?

And he looked at his troubles and the troubles of others and said, well there's nothing to that. Was it because he was a stoic, just a philosophical fellow who had learned somehow by philosophy to just rise above the emotions of flesh and he's now just a man of stone? Or was it because he had not been himself exposed to affliction and trouble that he speaks of light affliction? Oh no. No, no, no, no. We've read about what he's experienced. But this man speaks of his afflictions, all his affliction as one affliction.

And he speaks of his one lifelong affliction as our light affliction. Because he had learned to look upon his afflictions with a proper frame of mind, and with a proper attitude. Knowing that God, our father, is the first cause of all things. And knowing also that all things, both good and bad, work together for our good, and for the glory of our God. Read on. Our right affliction, which is much more above us, But human Montgomery is now 90 years old. And if we should live to be 90 years old, if we should live to be 90 years old, what's that compared to eternity?

Just a moment. Just a moment. If all those 90 years is nothing but toil and misery and affliction and sorrow, our light affliction, which is but for a moment, just a little speck of time, just a little speck of time, Worketh, you see it? Worketh. Presently, worketh. Is now working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Somehow, I don't know how, but somehow, eternity is gonna be better because of the affliction you suffer here. Somehow. I don't know how. Somehow, these afflictions are working for us a greater weight of glory in eternity than we could possibly otherwise enjoy.

Hold your hands there and turn to 1 Peter, 1 Peter chapter 1. Ron concluded his study this morning with verse five, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, if need be. If it wasn't a needs be, you wouldn't endure it. But if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.

Oh my soul, I know so many people We're in heaviness, heaviness. Through manifold trials and temptations, and that's what the word temptation is, it's trials, trials, trials, trials. I know a little bit, just a little bit of what trial is, and I mean just a little bit, but I know folks who carry heavy, heavy, heavy burdens all day long, every day of their lives. Manifold, manifold, manifold trials.

But notice the next word, that, that. This is the result, this is the reason, and this is the result. That the trial of your faith, not your faith, but the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory, not yours, but Christ at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Now maybe you're thinking to yourself, Brother Don, I sure wish I could learn to look upon my troubles in such a manner. Well, I want to preach this message to help you do that, so that when trial comes, when trouble comes, and it will, it most surely will, If you're God, you're going to endure temptation, trial, trouble, and heartache in this world. There's no possibility of getting through this life without it.

Believers are not by their faith. They are not by virtue of their relationship with Christ. We are not by virtue of our being the sons of God, exempted from trouble. But rather, our trouble is increased in this world because of those things. Now that's what the word of God teaches. That's what it teaches. These fellows who tell you that God doesn't want you to have trouble, God doesn't want you to have poverty, God doesn't want you to have sickness, God doesn't want you to have child, those fellows who tell you that are liars.

They don't know God. They don't know God. If God didn't want you to have it, you wouldn't have it. If God didn't want you to endure it, He wouldn't endure it. If God didn't want you to go through the deep valley, He wouldn't bring you through the deep valley.

This is God's work. He rules these things as He rules all things. Now let me try to answer three questions. And I'll be as plain and as clear and as simple and as brief as I possibly can. But I've got a message that we need. First thing I want you to understand is this. What does the word of God tell us about our afflictions? What does this book tell us?

Now, Anne Landers' opinion is irrelevant. That's just irrelevant. The psychiatrist's opinion is irrelevant. It is irrelevant. You who are believers, I admonish you, I admonish you as strongly as I possibly can, stay out of the shrink's office. and stay out of the shrinks philosophy and get into the word of God. The opinions of the philosophers and educators and socialites of our day, those sociologists of our day I should say, is utterly irrelevant and frankly the opinions of religion is irrelevant too. It's totally irrelevant.

But what does the word of God teach us concerning affliction? What does God tell me in his word about the sorrow I experience in this world. I know this. I know this. This is the first thing. So long as I live in this world, I will suffer pain, sorrow, and adversity if I belong to God. So long as I live here. Let's look at some scripture. Turn to Acts chapter 14. Acts chapter 14 and verse 22. Acts chapter 14 and verse 22.

The Apostle Paul going back, confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith. And this is what he's telling them. This is how he confirms them. This is how he exhorts them to continue in the faith. And that we must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God. That means, Larry Criss, my friend, if you get to glory, you got to go with it. That's what it means. If we enter into heaven, we must enter into heaven through tribulation. There's no other gate. There's no other door. There's no other way by which to walk into heaven's glory, but through much tribulation.

I am redeemed and justified by the blood of Christ and the grace of God. I am saved and forgiven by the Lord God in the fullness of his grace. And I am an heir of heaven's eternal glory. Those things I recognize. But as long as I live in this world, I'm going to have to deal with sorrow, toil, and affliction of heart. My body is subject to sickness, disease, pain, decay, and death, just like everybody else's. My heart is subject to the same sorrows as any other man's heart. My soul is subject to the same burdens and the same cares as any other man's soul. God's dear children, in the process of time, like all other men, grow old, get sick, and die. There are no exceptions.

Second, turn to second, or first Thessalonians chapter five. First Thessalonians chapter 5. The first thing the word of God teaches me about my afflictions is that as long as I'm here, I'm going to have them. The second thing is this. Whatever comes to pass in my life is the will of God for me. And I recognize that unbelieving, unregenerate people sees Whatever they can to find an excuse for their sin and their rebellion and their unbelief. And this is no exception. But for the believer, for the believer, this is a tremendous comfort. Whatever comes to pass in my life is the will of God for me. Whatever it is. You all know 20 some years ago I had some difficult times with cancer. Spent a year in treatments and so forth. You're aware of that.

That was God's work. That was God's work. Becky's sickness right now, God's work. God's work. Just as much as giving life, the waning of life is God's work. Just as much as giving us health, giving sickness is God's work. It's not by accident. It's not something that just kind of creeps up and suddenly it's there and nothing can be done about it. It's God's work. It's God's doing.

Look here in 1 Thessalonians 5 and verse 16. Rejoice evermore. That doesn't mean walk around and act silly and giddy and laugh and act like somebody who doesn't have good sense. That's not what it's talking about. It doesn't mean pretend like nothing's wrong. It means rejoice in your soul before God. Rejoice not in things but in the Lord and rejoice evermore. So that you don't set your heart on those things that give you pain. You set your heart on Him who brings you joy. He who is your joy, the Lord Jesus.

Pray without ceasing. Pray without ceasing. I'm going to tell you exactly what that means. Believe in God. That means, Pearl, you walk before God in faith. And you cast your care on Him. And you open your heart to Him. And you call on Him. And you carry your burdens to Him. And you go to Him with your needs. And you go to Him with your soul's trouble. And you go to Him, believing Him, trusting Him, committing yourself to Him.

You alright? And I need help. And you're the only one who can give it. Just believe God. It doesn't mean you act religious and you try to pray 24 hours a day. Obviously that's not what it means. When it says pray without ceasing you're saying simply this.

Walk before God with your heart constantly trusting Him. Committing yourself to Him. Committing your way to Him. Testing your care on Him. In everything, give thanks. When your heart's breaking, and your tears burn your cheeks, and your soul is heavy, give thanks to God. Even when you can't begin to understand what he's doing, give thanks to God.

Not for everything. That might be a little too much to ask. But in everything. In everything. Right now. God, you've done this. I don't know why. I don't know what the ultimate end is. I don't know how you're going to get good for me and for your people and for your name by this, but you've done it. And I know you shall. And I'll give you thanks for your wise and good providence. You know better than I do. You know better than I do. Give thanks for this. You see it? This.

This thing right now, this thing you presently tell us, but you presently have, this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. This is God's will. This is God's will. It's no accident, it's God's will. It's not something that just somehow has come to pass because Satan is heading his way for a season. God only allows Satan to have his way when he will use Satan's way for his way, for the glory of his name. You understand that? This is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Not only is this thing that you experience God's will, but this thing that you experience is God's will and it is God's will that you give thanks to him in the midst of it.

What I'm saying is this, nothing in this world happens by accident or chance. We're not atheists. And those who foolishly believe that things come to pass by accident, by chance, by luck, by blind fate, are nothing less than atheists. We recognize that our God rules the universe, and everything, be it prosperous or adverse, be it pleasant or painful, everything, great and small, is ordained of God and ruled of God, governed absolutely by God for his glory and our good, our eternal spiritual good. I hope you never get tired of hearing it. Sometimes I'm kind of reluctant to quote scripture when you quote it so often, and I oughtn't to be.

But we know. Do you know that all things work together for good to them that love God? To them who are called according to his purpose. We know that all things are of God. For of him and through him and to him are all things to him be glory for ever and ever. In heaven's eternal light I'll see. Not to then, but then. In heaven's eternal light I'll see all things worked out for good. Whatever my heavenly father does, he does because of his love. His grace and his goodness toward me. Never because he is angry with me and would punish me.

Now you get hold of that. Get hold of that, it'll help you. I promise you it'll help you. God's providence often uses the chastening rod of love to correct his child. But he never uses the punishing rod of justice against his child to satisfy his anger, to satisfy his wrath. Oh no! God punished our sins in his son, now he just corrects us as we go through this world. There's all the difference in the world. All the difference in the world.

The Lord God, because he loves us, will see to it that we obey. He'll see to it. A loving father does. You mamas and daddies, if you love your kids, if you love them, you make them mind. It's just that simple. You make them mind. If that means you bend them over your knee three times a day and two more times just in case. If that means that you sing like you're whipping them every time you turn around. You love your children if you love them. You see to it that they mind you.

Any father who allows his son or daughter to get by without minding him is not a loving father. A father takes his child from the beginning and sees to it that the child gives honor to his word and obeys his word. Why? Because that's best for the child. That's best for the child. It's best for that child that the child grow up in reverence and obedience to his father.

And that child becomes a productive, useful citizen. Our Heavenly Father sees to it that His children obey Him. He will see to it that we trust Him. He will see to it that we call upon Him. He will see to it that we surrender to Him. He will see to it, if we're His, that we follow Him. He'll see to it.

Now sometimes, You think he's killing you to make you bad. I have, haven't you? I thought, God, what are you doing? God, why? God, help me to understand what's going on. What on earth are you doing? Have you altogether forsaken me? Have you determined, as Jeremiah looked up in the heavens and said, God, have you determined to destroy me?

No, no. He doesn't afflict willingly. No. He will remember mercy. He certainly will. He will restore his smiling face when his rod has accomplished its purpose. But at the same time, don't ever imagine that God's punishing you for sin. Oh no. Oh no. Not if you're in Christ. Not if you're a believer. Not if you're one of God's elect. He punished our sin in His Son. And He's never, never, never going to take out His rod of justice again to punish us. It won't happen.

Whatever it is that God does to me and with me, and whatever he allows to be done to me, or with me, or against me, is best. I'm absolutely convinced that's so. I'm absolutely convinced of it. It's best for me, best for his church, best for the gospel of his grace, And best for his glory, absolutely best. You get a splinter in your fingernail. If you've ever shoved a thick splinter down under your fingernail, you have an idea of just how painful it is.

Now you can leave it lay there if you want to. You can leave it lay if you want to. But if you do, it's going to fester up. and more than likely the nail's going to come off and you're not going to be able to use that thing for a long time. Or you can take your tweezers and dig around in there and get hold of that thing and pull it out. Now pulling it out is real painful. It's real painful, but it's best. You understand what I'm saying? That's a trivial, insignificant illustration. But you understand what I'm telling you?

Whatever God brings, no matter how painful, it's best for you or he wouldn't do it. He wouldn't do it. It's enough for me to know that the one who rules the world is my heavenly father. I don't need to know his reasons for doing anything. I only need to trust his wisdom. His grace, His power, and His love. Our times are in thy hand. Why should we doubt or fear? A father's hand will never cause his child a needless fear.

Turn now to 2 Corinthians chapter 12. 2 Corinthians chapter 12. The Apostle Paul had a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet him. Now, no point in speculating about what it is. God doesn't tell us, and no point in us trying to guess. Just enough to know he had a thorn in the flesh.

Whatever it was, it caused him enough pain and enough sorrow and enough difficulty that he asked God three times to deliver him from this thorn in the flesh. Three times. There's a hard knot for those fellows to try to untie who say that prayer is like a blank check, you just fill in what you want God to give it to you. That's not what it is at all. Paul sought earnestly to be delivered from this thorn in the flesh three times. And God said no. God said you don't have to live with it. You're just going to have to live with it. But that's not all he said.

In verse 9 he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee. Learn that in verse 9. God's grace is sufficient. Whatever it is, he brings us through. Whatever the deep, deep valley is. Whatever the fiery trial is, whatever the river of woe is, whatever it is that he brings you through, he says, my grace is sufficient for you.

I will not leave you, I will not forsake you, I will hold you with the right hand in my righteousness. And again, I know that no matter what my trial may be, the Lord God is with me. In Hebrews 13, 5, He says I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. I'll tell you what I'm finding out.

In prosperity and wealth, but I need him. I don't need a life of ease, but I need the comfort of his presence. I don't need tranquility and of life around me, I need Christ. I need my God. I need his grace. The hymn writer says, swift to its close ebbs out life's little day. Earth's joys grow dim. Oh, they do, don't they? Its glories pass away. Change and decay all around me I see. Oh well, who changes not, but by me.

That's all I need. That's all I need, I'm telling you. Say well that's, that's unreal. Oh would to God you had just some slight idea how real that is. He's all we need. He's all we need. This is what the Word of God plainly teaches us about our faith. They will surely come. They are according to the will of God for us. They're designed by our Heavenly Father for our good. Give grace is sufficient for us, and the Lord will be with us in all our troubles.

Well, here's another question I have to ask. With all the sorrow and pain that comes from so many quarters, all the the tears and the heartaches and all the all the turmoil that that invades our lives. How on this earth can we look upon all these things which we suffer in this world and call them our light affliction? I know that it is not a light thing to suffer loneliness and pain. It is not a light thing to have children who crush your heart. It is not a light thing to endure bereavement and sorrow. And Paul doesn't intend that we should be stoics, men and women without feeling. He doesn't intend that we should somehow pretend that things just are not and then act as though they're not. I'm not a man of stone and you're not either.

We feel things. feel things. I know the joy of happiness. I feel it. Oh, I like it too. And I know the comfort of love. Oh, I feel it. I enjoy it. And I know the pain of sorrow. And I feel that too. I feel that too. But there is a very real sense in which all those things which we suffer are our right affliction.

There is a sense in which the Lord is teaching me. He's teaching me. I wrote down and had taught me, but I'll have to back off on that. I haven't learned it yet, but I'm learning it. I'm learning. There is a sense in which he's teaching me to look upon my affliction as a very light thing. I'll give you some reasons. First, my affliction is light compared with what I deserve.

The psalmist says in Psalm 103, He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. or what you think. If we had what we deserve, we'd be in reprobation. If we had what we deserve, we'd be as the heathen lost in darkness. If we had what we deserve, we'd be in hell or in prison or somewhere between here and hell, if we had what we deserve.

And I'm keenly aware I'm keenly aware of that. Secondly, my affliction is like, compared with many others who live upon this earth, who have lived upon this earth, who've gone before. One of the hymn writers, I believe it was Milton, upon viewing the persecution of God's saints in the valley of Piedmont, wrote these words.

He said, I once complained that I had no gloves when I met a man who had no hands. I once complained that I had no shoes when I met a man who had no feet. And in expecting himself that way, he teaches us something we ought to pray for grace to overcome. But somehow, we don't seem to have the ability to appreciate God's goodness to us until we see somebody else's sorrow. We don't seem to have the ability to appreciate how blessed of God we are until we see somebody who doesn't have the blessings we have.

Men and women all over the world suffer the same things that I suffer. I don't know why I ever get the notion I should be different. Most people in this world suffer much, much more than I do. Why should I complain? And God's people in this world have always been a suffering people.

Must I be carried through the skies on flowery beds of ease while others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas? Oh no. We must not expect to live in ease. We ask that God will use us. Keep praying that he'll use us. Brother Barnard used to warn folks, he said, don't ask that God will use you, he just might. He just might. And I want to tell you something. God about always, he about always, uses folks. as he puts them in the furnace, and only as he puts them in the furnace. How many of you are familiar with Pilgrim's Progress? How many of you are familiar with it? That book has been published and printed in more volume than any book in history except the Bible.

Now the literature professors and teachers don't understand what was going on with it. They have no idea. They think that Bunyan is just, he's just got a fairytale and a vivid imagination and he's given a story. Oh no, no, no, no, no, no. A thousand times no. Bunyan sat in Bedford prison in England for 12 years.

For 12 years. He had a blind daughter who needed him, a wife and a family that needed him. But he sat in prison for 12 years because he would not compromise the gospel. And God put him in that jail cell for 12 long years and it was in that jail. I've been there. The door, not much bigger than the door to this pulpit here, underneath the bridge. He put money in there and he spent 12 years there and gave us Pilgrim's Promise. Now go get it and read it. Go get it and read it.

And understand that God in his mercy put John Bunyan in that prison for the benefit of his church and kingdom to use him. To use him. Oh, how he's used him. And if Bunyan could stand here today and talk to you He would tell you he'd gladly have gone through the prison. He would gladly have gone through it. For God could use it. Know it now, what he knows. But looking at it going in, that's another story. Looking at it going in, we're just, oh, God, God, what are you doing? And when you get on the other side, Oh God, what have you done? What have you done?

My affliction is like also compared with what my Lord suffered for me when he was made to be seen upon the cross. The Apostle Paul, urging us to persevere in affliction, says, Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be weary and faint in your mind.

Next time you think about throwing up your hands and saying, well, what's the use? I quit. I've just had all I can. I quit. What's the use? Consider him, lest you be wearied and faint in your mind. You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. See from his head, his hands, his feet, sorrow and love, flow mingled down. Bitter as such rod and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a craft. Learn the whole realm of nature mind. that were a present far too small, of so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. And since my blessed redeemer has suffered so much for me, because he loved me so, I can, by the grace of God, I can, by the grace of God, suffer my life's afflictions, for the honor of his name.

James, that's what Paul meant in Philippians 4.13 when he said, I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.

He wasn't saying I can go out and do a judo trick and chop through a 12-inch block of ice. That had nothing to do with it. But he was saying I can endure and I can sustain whatever God in his providence brings my way. through His grace and His glory.

I told you before, back in 1969, Brother Henry Mahan's son, Robbie, went off to Vietnam. He was there a week and took a shell directly. Gone like that. News broke in Ashton Papers and of course Henry had been faithful to the gospel all these years. One of the preachers in town picked up the phone and called him. Such nice fellas. They said, where is your God now since your son's dead? And Henry responded, my God, is right where he was when his son died, he's on his throne. And I'm telling you, our God is on his throne.

And what he brings to pass, he brings to pass for our good and his glory. And we can endure it by his grace. Again, my affliction is light compared to the many, many blessings which I enjoy. Beloved, now are we the sons of God. Of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God's made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Oh, what blessings we enjoy! Would to God we could learn to count our blessings rather than our miseries.

The only professor I had when I was in college that seemed to have any genuine grasp of the gospel was a Presbyterian man, a Presbyterian preacher, Robert Cox. I've lost contact with him now for many, many years, but Bob Cox was a big, staffing fellow.

He was a strong, strong young man, 6'1", 6'2", somewhere in there, when he was just a young man. He got a crippling form of arthritis. And I only knew him as an older man. He was about the height of my wife. I mean, just maybe five feet, maybe five feet two, something like that. Just twisted. Just twisted. He couldn't move without pain. I mean, literally, he couldn't move without pain.

I never in the five years I knew him, I never heard one word of complaint out of his lips. Isn't that amazing? Isn't that amazing? I never heard him grumble about God's providence. I never heard him grumble about the weather. I never heard him grumble about circumstances. I never heard him grumble about the nation. I never heard him grumble about himself. But I only heard that man speak of God's blessing. God's blessing.

God's blessing. You do it longer than I do. Is that true? There's nothing but blessing. Constant, constant, constant good cheer. Because he considered God's blessings upon him, not God's hand of chastisement or affliction upon him. The hymn writer says count your many blessings, name them one by one. And I'll guarantee you it'll surprise you what the Lord has done. Most of us here enjoy tremendous providential blessings. Just tremendous blessings. If you don't believe it, just... Sometime when somebody's visiting here from another country, just ask them how life is where they live. Just tell them to tell you how things are there.

We enjoy domestic blessings. God blesses us with a happy home, a peaceful, pleasant home. Loving husband, loving wife, loving children. and gospel blessings all. We have the blessed privilege, the blessed privilege of being here three times a week, hearing the gospel of God's free grace, rubbing shoulders with God's people, just rubbing shoulders with one another, enjoying one another's fellowship and company and harmony. We have the blessed privilege of coming here to this place at least three times a week and escaping Just escaping all that's out there. Just escaping that and coming here to worship God. Oh, what a privilege. Again, my affliction is light compared to what I shall enjoy when the Lord calls me home. Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come. His grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.

And when we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first began. This is what Paul says, the Spirit itself hath witnessed with our spirit that we're the children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon, I reckon that the sufferings of this present time, whatever they are, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed him. I'm looking for a city which hath foundations, is builder and maker of God.

I shall one day enter into that city, and in that city will find nothing but the bliss of eternal glory. Then I'll have a new body, and a new life, and all sorrow and all pain and all affliction will end. For God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away. The affliction which now brings pain and sorrow to our hearts is only temporary. It will soon be over. And the bliss and glory of that bright land to which we are going shall be eternal and infinite.

One last thing. I'll be very brief. What am I to do in the midst of affliction? In the midst of sorrow, in the midst of trying. Don, what do you do? What do you do? I get calls from all over the country. Every week. Folks who have hard, hard times. And everyone goes, what am I going to do?

Our tendency is to be full of self-pity. But that doesn't honor God, and that doesn't help us. Our tendency is to wallow in our sorrow, and that doesn't honor God, it doesn't help us. And it doesn't help the folks who are around us. Well, what shall we do? Submit to the will of God. I will be. Submit. There's no peace for a believer like the peace of surrender. No peace like the peace of surrender.

Lord, I'm yours. And this day has come to pass because you in your wisdom in your goodness and mercy, for whatever purpose you brought it to pass, your will be done. Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done. Trust the Lord God.

Turn back to Proverbs chapter 3. Shelby and I began our relationship together meditating on these verses. It began our home, the building on these verses. And we continue to look to these verses to give strength and comfort and help. Trust in the Lord.

With all your heart. And lean not unto your own understanding. That's when you get in trouble. That's when you get in trouble. Lean not to your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him. That's what I've been talking about. You're God. I'm yours. Acknowledge him. And He shall direct my paths. Now, submitting to Him. Trusting Him. Worship Him. Worship Him.

Oh, God teach me to be like Job. Job lost his sons and his daughters. He lost his health and his wealth. He lost influence and name and reputation. And when the day was over, Job was found worshipping God. Worshipping God. Oh, grace to worship in the midst of trouble. And give thanks. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say rejoice, let your moderation be known unto all men for the Lord's at hand. I will praise him in sickness just as I praised him in health. I will praise him in pain just as I praised him in pleasure. And God helping me, I will praise him in death just as I praised him in life.

Because this, our affliction, is just our minor affliction, which is but for a moment. It's but for a moment. And we look not at the things that are saved, but at the things which are unsaved. For the things that are saved are temporal. Temporal. The best of them and the worst of them. Just temporary. Oh, but things have not changed.

God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform. He plants his footsteps in the sea and rides upon the shore. Deep in unfathomable minds of never failing skill, he treasures up his bright designs and works his sovereign will. ye fearful saints fresh courage take. The clouds you so much dread are big with mercy, and shall break in blessing on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust him for his grace.

Behind the frown of providence he hides a smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour. The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower. Blind unbelief is sure to err and scan his work in vain. God is his own interpreter and he will make it plain. Amen.

Our Light Affliction

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