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 The afflictions of the godly -watson


[b]The afflictions of the godly[/b]

(Thomas Watson, "The Ten Commandments")

How do the afflictions of the godly, differ from
the afflictions of the wicked?

(1) The afflictions of the godly are but corrections;
but those on the wicked are punishments. The one
come from a Father; the other from a Judge.

(2) The afflictions of the godly are fruits of covenant
mercy. Afflictions on the wicked are effects of God's
wrath. Afflictions on the wicked are the pledge of
hell; they are like the shackling of a malefactor,
which presages his execution.

(3) The afflictions of the godly make them better;
but afflictions on the wicked make them worse. The
godly pray more; "Out of the depths I cry to you,
O Lord." Psalm 130:1. The wicked blaspheme more.
"Men were scorched with great heat--and blasphemed
the name of God." Revelation 16:9.

Affliction on the godly is like bruising spices--which
makes them give off a most sweet and fragrant aroma.
Affliction on the wicked is like pounding weeds with
a pestle--which makes them give off a foul stench.

It is a sign the affliction is sanctified, when the heart
is brought to a sweet submissive frame.


_________________
SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2007/9/7 5:32Profile









 Re: The afflictions of the godly -watson

Brother, I'm finding this so true in my own Christian experience.
We often speak of those who have come to Christ through just some "mental assent" to the truth of the Gospel.
What we fail to see is that - we as older Christians may be reading all of these wonderful writings here and giving mental assent to the truth of them and be deceived in thinking that we "have lived them in Spirit", just by reading them and agreeing with what we've read.

We must be duly cautious of this intellectual phenomena.
When reading a great or good writing - our minds agree wholeheartedly and we mistake that agreement as assimilation and thus an accomplished fact within our lives - when that is not the case at all - we've merely just intellectually agreed with what we've read.
We must cautiously guard against that deception and pray all the more earnestly with each writing that we agree with, that The Lord will work it into our lives - past our minds and worked into our spiritual natures - so that the "fruit" grows evident in our outward lives and seen in our increased passion for Him alone and our Love for all of mankind.
Psa 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

None of us would ask the Lord for "afflictions", but it seems that is what breaks the shell of own understanding and opens our spirits the most to receive.
How easy for a healthy or untroubled human to feel all is well with them and their world - yet, under pressures, our true nature comes forth.
Affliction also is to show us what is truly in us - what we are really made out of - what's inside - and to make us more sensitive to the fact of how badly we need Him to bring light and spiritual reality to the words that we daily read.
Affliction is the blessing. Almost the boot-camp, that may very well be the proving ground of our faith - before the affliction comes from the persecution or earthly upheavals.
That will be a harder time to learn and we won't have the personal freedom we have now, to sit and read an endless supply of rich writings.
While we still have this wonderful opportunity to freely read - let us remember - "to whom much is given - much is required" - so that we take each piece that we read or write and pray it becomes a workable spiritual reality within us and not just an article that we enjoyed.
Lord Bless us and may He help us to see "how we read".

 2007/9/10 11:00





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